Discussion Title: Education will never be the same as it was before COVID-19.

1. Education will never return to how it was before COVID-19.
1.1. Con: [More students are failing now](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/education/article/houston-schools-fail-grades-surge-class-15743142.php) so we need to go back to the way it was.
1.1.1. Pro: Online schooling can increase fatigue among students and demotivate them to study, leading to procrastination.
1.1.2. Pro: Some students have started [losing interest in studying](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/parenting/ask-the-expert/my-child-has-lost-interest-in-studies-and-also-behaves-badly/articleshow/79167498.cms) because they are not taking online education seriously.
1.1.3. Con: Online teaching will improve as teachers and students develop more skills.
1.1.4. Pro: Many students perform better in a face-to-face teaching environment.
1.1.5. Con: There are [strategies](https://teach.com/resources/tips-learning-from-home/) that guardians, educators, and students can adopt to make the transition to online learning easier. They could help students improve their performance.
1.2. Con: The [digital divide](https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA134-3.html) has widened the gap in educational access. People that have good digital access \(i.e., up-to-date devices and wifi\) are getting a better education than those who do not have good digital access.
1.2.1. Pro: [7 million children](https://edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2020/04/continuing-remote-learning-students-without-internet) do not have internet access at home.
1.2.1.1. Pro: Internet access is a [basic human need](https://www.openglobalrights.org/covid-19-exposes-why-access-to-internet-is-human-right/) in a modern technological society.
1.2.2. Pro: Families are [waiting months](https://www.thecity.nyc/2020/9/22/21451878/nyc-school-students-ipads-online-remote-learning-carranza) to get adequate devices for online learning.
1.2.3. Con: [We can have distance learning without high technology levels if we design it well](https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ914968).
1.2.3.1. Con: While possible, "low-level" online education makes many forms of interaction practically impossible, such as video conferences and live video lectures in which educators react to students.
1.2.4. Pro: [6% of the US population and 25% of people in rural areas of the US do not have internet access at home](https://www.fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-progress-reports/eighth-broadband-progress-report#).
1.3. Pro: [Some students are thriving in home-based schooling](https://www.edutopia.org/article/why-are-some-kids-thriving-during-remote-learning), particularly those who were marginalized in face-to-face school settings.
1.3.1. Pro: Home-based schooling has ["dramatically ratcheted down the total workload in order to make tasks accessible rather than overwhelming"](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/school-wasnt-so-great-before-covid-either/616923/)
1.3.2. Pro: Overall, children’s psychological well-being seemed to [improve after the shift to home-based learning](https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/freedom-learn/202008/survey-reveals-children-coped-well-school-closure).
1.3.3. Pro: ["Children appeared to gain a greater sense of independence and personal responsibility"](https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/freedom-learn/202008/survey-reveals-children-coped-well-school-closure) after the shift to home-based learning.
1.3.4. Con: Most children miss [seeing their friends at school.](https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/freedom-learn/202008/survey-reveals-children-coped-well-school-closure)
1.3.5. Pro: More parents might begin to think that there might be benefits to distance-learning or homeschooling by comparing these to traditional schooling - especially if the latter was not working well for the particular educational needs of their children.
1.3.6. Con: Some students are depressed or suicidal because they feel isolated.
1.3.6.1. Pro: One study [found](https://www.jmir.org/2020/9/e21279/) that 71% of students surveyed said they felt increased levels of stress and anxiety due to Covid-19.
1.3.7. Pro: Marginalized students have experienced harmful school climates that increase risk of self-harm in face-to-face schooling.
1.3.7.1. Con: A problematic school climate is not limited to face-to-face interactions but can also take digital forms, for example cyber-bullying.
1.3.8. Con: Since schools were closed, [parents have reported increasing conflicts with their children](https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2020-04-02/stay-at-home-orders-are-stressing-us-families-survey-shows). This could have a negative impact on a child's education.
1.4. Pro: Increased [distance learning has provided more accessibility](https://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall173/pittman_heiselt173.html) for people with disabilities who will continue to expect it.
1.4.1. Con: Since students with disabilities constitute only a minority of all students, it is by no means clear that the expectations of this minority will determine the future of education.
1.4.1.1. Pro: This is compounded by the fact that this minority consists of dozens of subgroups with individual requirements and demands. Students with sensory impairments expect other forms of accommodation than students with physical impairments.
1.4.2. Con: In the rush to get learning online, [accessibility guidelines have been ignored](https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/04/06/remote-learning-shift-leaves-students-disabilities-behind).
1.4.3. Pro: [More classes are available online now](https://feedbackfruits.com/blog/the-rise-of-online-classes-after-covid-19-best-practices-based-on-literature) than before COVID-19.
1.4.4. Pro: Distance learning has made more materials available in digital formats, which are accessible to students who are visually impaired through technologies such as [screen readers](https://usabilitygeek.com/10-free-screen-reader-blind-visually-impaired-users/).
1.5. Con: [Distance learning isnʻt working very well](https://www.edutopia.org/article/distance-learning-faq-solving-teachers-and-students-common-problems), so schools will want to go back to the ways they are comfortable with.
1.5.1. Con: Teachers did not have training or time to learn new skills before learning switched to online.
1.5.2. Pro: If students are back in school, devices and internet will not be barriers to learning.
1.5.2.1. Con: We should not need physical presence to have internet that works.
1.5.3. Pro: Distance learning [doesn't allow students to interact](https://www.bestcollegesonline.org/faq/what-happens-to-the-social-aspect-of-learning-in-an-online-course/#:~:text=For%20some%20students%2C%20this%20lack,online%20and%20passing%20their%20courses.) with their peers on a social level.
1.5.3.1. Con: Students can interact with peers and trusted adults via many modes, such as talking, text messaging or using applications such as Zoom, in the home setting.
1.5.3.2. Con: Students can interact with their peers socially within their communities.
1.5.3.2.1. Con: This will effectively keep students within familiar social circles and within their comfort zone. Attending school, on the other hand, exposes students to peers they would have otherwise not come in contact with.
1.5.3.3. Pro: It is difficult to do physical activities with your peers, such as playing sports together, because the interaction is online.
1.5.3.3.1. Con: Even if students can't do physical activities together, they can do other social activities, such as playing online games together or [having a party on Zoom](https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-throw-zoom-party-custom-background-friends-family-2020-3).
1.5.3.3.1.1. Con: People are getting burnt out on Zoom parties - [zoom fatigue](https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/2020/04/coronavirus-zoom-fatigue-is-taxing-the-brain-here-is-why-that-happens/).
1.5.3.3.2. Con: Physical activities are important for physical and mental health, but team sports can and do happen in the community setting. Schools do not have to be the main purveyors of athletics.
1.5.3.3.3. Con: Although sports are very important to many schools, sports should not be the main focus of education. Learning should be the focus of education and that can be done online.
1.5.3.3.4. Pro: [If face-to-face instruction is too risky because of COVID, contact sports should also be viewed as too risky](https://www.aspenprojectplay.org/coronavirus-and-youth-sports/reports/2020/8/14/should-high-schools-with-only-remote-learning-still-play-fall-sports).
1.5.3.4. Con: Students can interact on learning platforms, such as Kialo-edu, Flipgrid, Padlet, their school LMS etc.
1.5.3.4.1. Con: Many of these platforms are built and optimized to facilitate focused interactions. There is usually little space for casual interactions that are just as important.
1.5.3.4.1.1. Pro: Kialo Edu even [advertises itself](https://www.kialo-edu.com/tour) with statements such as that "there’s no talking over each other". Instead, the platform promises to keep interactions focused on educational matters.
1.5.3.4.1.2. Con: Students who meet through these platforms may decide to interact casually through text or other means.
1.5.4. Pro: A [survey](https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/survey-teachers-and-students-are-struggling-with-online-learning/2020/11) suggests that teachers and students are not able to adjust well to distant learning.
1.5.5. Con: [Distance learning has always had bad practitioners](https://www.westga.edu/~distance/ojdla/fall53/valentine53.html#:~:text=Problems%20of%20Distance%20Learning&text=These%20problems%20include%20the%20quality,distance%20learning%20as%20a%20product.), just as there are bad classroom teachers.
1.6. Pro: [Another pandemic is likely in our lifetime](https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52775386) and we need to be better prepared for continuity in education.
1.6.1. Con: This doesn't necessarily mean that education will permanently change. It might rather mean that better contingency plans will be available in order to quickly adapt education models should another pandemic require it.
1.6.2. Pro: Better preparation for continuity of education in the event of another pandemic requires wider availability of learning materials that can be delivered flexibly in both face-to-face and digital environments.
1.7. Pro: The use of 100% distance learning is [strongly supported by some population subgroups](https://www.edweek.org/technology/education-technology-in-2020-8-takeaways-from-a-chaotic-year/2020/12?utm_source=nl&utm_medium=eml&utm_campaign=eu&M=59805017&U=&UUID=70333d90d9900f486482a9de0b08cceb).
1.7.1. Con: The subgroups that show strong support for distance learning - that is, Black Americans and Hispanic Americans - have [lower than average levels](https://www.statista.com/statistics/184264/educational-attainment-by-enthnicity/) of educational attainment. Thus, these subgroups may not value high-quality education as much as others do and, thus, support problematic practices.
1.7.2. Con: Some subgroups may support distance learning now more than others because of their higher risk for COVID-19. The possibility of receiving lower quality schooling is acceptable to them because preventing COVID-19 and staying alive is more important. When the risk of COVID-19 is much lower, distance learning may no longer be acceptable to them.
1.7.3. Pro: Populations subgroups with much higher risk to COVID-19 want to be protected from exposure by using distance learning rather than face-to-face.
1.8. Pro: [Extant problems in education were magnified by COVID](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/school-wasnt-so-great-before-covid-either/616923/) and this may motivate people to solve them.
1.8.1. Pro: Existing models of elementary education value relatively superficial learning that focuses on ["achieving mastery of shallow \(but test-friendly\) skills unmoored from real content knowledge or critical thinking."](http://Elementary education also values relatively superficial learning that’s too focused on achieving mastery of shallow \(but test-friendly\) skills unmoored from real content knowledge or critical thinking.)
1.8.2. Pro: Existing models of education use strategies such as, ["age and ability cohorts, short classroom periods, confinement mostly indoors"](http://age and ability cohorts, short classroom periods, confinement mostly indoors—are not working for many children) that are not working for many children.
1.8.3. Con: This effect may vanish once the pandemic is over since these extant problems may, once again, become less pressing.
1.8.4. Pro: Existing school models reflect ["long-standing inattention to children’s developmental needs—needs as basic as exercise, outdoor time, conversation, play, even sleep"](http://long-standing inattention to children’s developmental needs—needs as basic as exercise, outdoor time, conversation, play, even sleep)
1.8.5. Pro: The current American education ["model that hasn’t evolved to reflect advances in cognitive science and our understanding of human development"](http://model that hasn’t evolved to reflect advances in cognitive science and our understanding of human development)
1.9. Pro: Digital technologies provide [affordances](https://elearningindustry.com/7-e-affordances-elearning) that help learners be more self-directed.
1.9.1. Pro: Digital technologies allow easier tracking of work and more customization.
1.9.2. Con: [Young students are frustrated with online learning](https://indianexpress.com/article/parenting/blog/challenges-remote-learning-for-young-children-6466426/) because they lack technology skills.